KEPALA BATAS, July 17 — The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) has called on organisations, especially from the private sector, to establish more senior care centres in the country to provide options to families who can afford such facilities.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, said these centres could also offer support to people with disabilities as they too need close monitoring.
“Working adults would prefer to send their aged parents or family members to such centres when they are working because they are confident their loved ones will be well taken care of,” she told reporters during a visit to the privately-owned Damai Permai Care Centre, here, today, which houses about 54 residents.
There are 393 elderly care centres in Malaysia registered under the Care Centres Act 1993, however, it is still low considering the number of people who currently need or want such services, she said.
“No doubt we already have elderly care centres under the Social Welfare Department, but adult children who can afford it would prefer to send their parents to private facilities,” she said.
“In some cases, aged parents are sent for daycare to places like the Damai Permai Care Centre. People who live in Kedah but work in Penang, send their parents to be looked after here every day,” she said.
She praised the management of the care centre for providing daily and monthly care services, particularly for the elderly and the disabled.
“Based on observation, I feel this centre is among the best in terms of cleanliness and conducive environment for senior citizens. We hope it can be a role model for those intending to establish such care centres,” she said.
Nancy, who is on a one-day work visit to Penang, also visited families under the Ziarah Kasih Programme and the Pokok Machang Children’s Activity Centre (PAKK), near here, before officiating at the Anjung Kasih accommodation for patients’ next of kin at the Seberang Jaya Hospital.
— Bernama
